Anoka County gets grant to help build proposed Hwy. 10 interchange

July 6, 2013 - 4:00 PM

Anoka County has won a $10 million state grant to help build a proposed $35 million interchange on Hwy. 10 at Armstrong Blvd. in Ramsey.

The grant from the Minnesota Department of Transportation brings to $26 million the funds committed to the project, officials said. If the remaining $9 million is secured, work could start in 2015, the department said.

The interchange would replace traffic signals with a bridge over Hwy. 10 and the nearby railroad tracks. The bridge could reduce crashes and provide a safe crossing for bikers and pedestrians, three of whom were killed crossing Hwy. 10 in Ramsey last year.

Ramsey has committed $4 million to the project, and Anoka County $2 million, said County Commissioner Matt Look, whose district includes Ramsey and part of Anoka. He said another $10 million has been approved by the Counties Transit Improvement Board, on which he sits.

Look said the county has applied for a federal grant and will seek further state help to cover the remaining $9 million.